No One Wants to be Job, Part 2

If you’ve never had something happen that was so traumatic (for your or someone you love) that you collapsed to the floor, face down and prayed something like, “What the inferno, God?!”, I’d just like to tell you that the day may come for any Christian.

John 11:41-42 [NKJV] 41 Then they took away the stone [from the place] where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up [His] eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 "And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said [this], that they may believe that You sent Me."

Not every Christian will go through Job-level trials. Not every Christian will know someone who does. But I believe that most of us who walk the Christian walk for more that a couple of years will have a moment or moments like this.

Last week I talked about being “Jobed” by God – that is God allowing Satan to persecute you to something like the level that Job endured. I also mentioned that when this happens to someone we care about, one of the best things we can do is to respond like Job’s friends – in the first seven days they were with Job. That is, we can sit quietly with them and share in their suffering.

When we are done sitting together in quiet reflection, we are going to want to pray a mighty prayer that saves, keeping in mind James 5:16 [NKJV] 16 … and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

“Effectual fervent” is defined as “to be active, efficient:—do, (be) effectual (fervent), be mighty in, shew forth self, work (effectually in)”.

If you are hoping for a magic formula for prayers that work, you may be disappointed. These words really mean no more than being active in prayer. No secret recipe for specific words to say or position to sit in, or length of time or warrior’s prayer closet needed.

God is simply telling us to mean it when we pray. Don’t phone it in. Be active in the prayer.

When we pray about Job-like trails, we will probably get emotional and that is perfectly fine. God can handle your tears and shouts. That is being active in prayer. We won’t “phone it in” on those days.

But let’s also keep in mind that if our prayers are focused by quiet and still, even just in our hearts, they can be “effectual” and “fervent” too. Remember: there is no magic formula. We should not make God out to be like Baal – or at least like the servants of the false god, Baal, thought he was – needing cries and jumping around and cutting ourselves to get attention. [See 1 Kings 18:20-29]

Elijah’s prayer was two verses long (compared to 9 verses – and multiple hours – of cutting and crying and pleading from the prophets of Baal) and brought down fire from heaven.

1 Kings 18:36-37 [YLT] 36 And it cometh to pass, at the going up of the [evening-]present, that Elijah the prophet cometh nigh and saith, 'Jehovah, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to-day let it be known that Thou [art] God in Israel, and I Thy servant, that by Thy word I have done the whole of these things; 37 answer me, O Jehovah, answer me, and this people doth know that Thou [art] Jehovah God; and Thou hast turned their heart backward.’

Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead with a short prayer of thanksgiving. John 11:41-42 [NKJV] 41 Then they took away the stone [from the place] where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up [His] eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 "And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said [this], that they may believe that You sent Me."

Job-like trials do not happen to God’s people behind our Heavenly Father’s back. He knows what’s happening. You don’t have to be long and loud to impress God with your sincerity and faith. Be honest. Be truthful. Believe. God knows your heart. Just be you before Him and you too can “avail much” for yourself or others being “Jobed”.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section below or email me at any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org.